The cost of the Lubbock City Council’s decision to “lawyer up” in response to complaints against Councilman Victor Hernandez and City Manager Lee Ann Dumbauld is uncertain as attorneys for both sides remain tight-lipped.

But Mayor Glen Robertson estimated the price tag could range from $3,000 to a “worst-case” scenario of $30,000 for a move the council hopes will protect the city from potential costly litigation.

“This is a very complex, very serious matter that we need to make sure we take enough time to get the information we need and work this out,” Robertson said Wednesday, April 17.

On Tuesday, the council directed its recently hired outside legal counsel to explore what Robertson called “all options” as the council investigates complaints against Hernandez and Dumbauld.

In a unanimous decision, the council hired Amarillo attorney Tom Riney to represent the council. City Attorney Sam Medina made the recommendation.

Riney is supposed to meet with Dumbauld’s attorney, Jim Hund, and report back to the council soon.

On Wednesday, Hund declined to comment about progress in the talks.

Dumbauld also declined to comment after the council’s Thursday, April 11, actions.

The council wants options.

“At this point, our job is to sit back and wait and allow the attorneys to work,” Robertson said after Tuesday’s meeting. “Our guidance through our directive to our attorney was to bring us back all options, and I think that’s important for everybody to know. This council wants to look at all options.”

Riney has not returned requests from A-J Media for comment since last week.

Asked how Riney was selected, Medina declined to comment.

“The council asked me to make a recommendation for outside counsel and they’ve chosen to retain him,” he said.

Riney’s profile through the State Bar of Texas lists him as a civil trial lawyer with no sanctions or public disciplinary history in the last 10 years.

“He’s not from Lubbock, not embroiled in this situation, a lot of expertise in dealing with employment law and human-resources types of situations,” Robertson said.

Medina referred to the city’s guidelines on hiring outside legal counsel when asked about the cost for Riney’s services.

A-J Media requested a copy of the guidelines, which were unavailable for public viewing.

Robertson has said he did not know firm rates for hiring legal counsel, adding it could take tens or hundreds of paid work hours and travel expenses, but that a final price is not yet set.

“It’s going to be based on how much time and effort is expended,” Robertson said.

Robertson said the city will pay the bill out of nearly $150 million in the city’s general fund budget for 2013.